This invention relates generally to athletic equipment and has particular reference to a novel device for teaching tennis, the device also being operable to reduce the likelihood of tennis elbow.
Many tennis instructors believe that the head of the racquet should be positioned above the player's wrist when hitting ground strokes and volleys. This means that the angle between the player's forearm and the long axis of the racquet will be from 90.degree. to something greater than 90.degree. but less than 180.degree.. To hold the racquet in this manner is often difficult for beginning tennis players who have not had a sufficient amount of practice and may also lack the required muscular development.
Various devices have been proposed for helping a beginning player to hold the racquet in the proper manner. Two such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,693,973 to W. H. Wattenburg and 3,858,881 to Hurwitz. The Wattenburg trainer is a totally inflexible, splint-like device that most novices would find very difficult to use.
The Hurwitz device, which is the closest prior art known to the applicant, is less restrictive than the Wattenburg trainer but its effectiveness is doubtful. The Hurwitz device is primarily for preventing tennis elbow and the stated objective of properly holding the tennis racquet is secondary. The device comprises an elestic cord that is looped around the racquet handle and extends from that point to a ring on a known type of adjustable compression band that is worn on the player's forearm. The connection with the racquet handle is not sufficiently positive to offer any real support in maintaining the proper positioning of the racquet, and the forearm band can slip or shift position. If the band is pulled so tight that it cannot shift, it will probably cut off the circulation in the player's arm.